Lonely Red Eyes
by blackstarlight17
Summary: A small kitten wandered the streets alone, yearning for love. She eventually encounters a boy who thought he lost everything. Will the meeting of these two souls bring what they need? Or will they continue being alone? (complete re-write of an older Beyblade fanfic for those who recall it.)
1. Chapter 1

**_I need a better title and summary, so if anyone has an idea, I really appreciate it. Story originally called_** _The Wandering Kitten and the Lost Soul_ ** _, but that was when I was in high school and find it lame now._**

 _ **Not sure what the exact genre might be, so if suggestions are welcomed.**_

 ** _Being that my writing has been improving and from that, working on various stories, namely my crossover ones, thought to do a re-write of this._**

 ** _It was originally going to be a one shot, but it's deemed to long by DA standards, so I'm breaking it up into chapters. I would have kept it a one shot for here, but I wanted to post on DA and it would've looked weird having it chapters there, but not here. Hope you understand._**

 ** _If I decide to go back on it or someone agrees it's better as a one shot, I'm open to ideas on how to shorten it without ruining the entire thing._**

 _ **As for the fic, while I'm using, or attempting to use honorifics, I've only seen the English dub, so I'm not familiar enough with the Japanese names of those who had their names changed.**_

 ** _Aside all that, I hope that you enjoy._**

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A small kitten trotted the streets, avoiding people stepping on her, roaming dogs and feral cats attacking.

Since birth, she had been on her own, surviving somehow, unable to recall if she had a mother raise her before her eyes opened or not.

It was in the past now, as much as the thought pained the tiny creature.

In the few short weeks since birth, she had managed to learn fast how to survive, surprising people and animals alike by her agility and intellect.

If someone attempted to throw something at her, she anticipated it and dodged, taking off to anywhere but here.

Soon enough, she had traveled across half the city she was willing to call home.

Most would think a kitten such as her would be scooped up and taken from such a rough life, placed into a shelter for adoption or taken straight to a home.

Luck was not in the small animal's favor…

Many were slightly unnerved by her, more so due to her unique skills dodging capture, kicks, projectiles, fangs and claws alike.

She had no real physical anomalies far as she knew, so never understood why they were hesitant.

What she didn't know was with her age, her eyes should've remained blue or only begin to change.

Instead, they were a deep shade of crimson, almost like spilt blood, the cause of people's concern.

Many were nervous of her, some superstitious due to the eyes, others believing she was sick and contagious.

The few that attempted to catch her, to get her looked at, whether they showed fear or not, were never fast enough to catch the nimble animal.

Another oddity about her that many had overlooked was the fact that she understood them perfectly.

She understood every word spoken…

Sure, being young, she obviously wouldn't know _every_ definition to such words, but she was smart, figuring it out based on various tones used.

If it was harsh, be it to her or others, then some of the words were bad. If filled with laughter, even _with_ those same words, it could go either way. It really would depend on the other person or group's reaction.

If the words were filled with affection, sometimes followed by some sort of physical contact, they were good words.

She especially loved those words, wishing someone may use them on her someday, or even the playful words people used that got everyone smiling.

Another of the rare oddities with her was her unique eyes allowing her to see in perfect color, but being young she wouldn't even know what color was.

At least, it was like this until she decided to follow a group of small children walking to school one day. She saw a couple of adults leading them, dressed in some strange clothes, identifying them as being important.

She had gotten curious of the toys some carried in their arms or stuck out of their bags, wondering if she could have as much fun as they are.

Careful not to be seen, unsure if the children would get scared or the adult attempts to harm her with a broom, the kitten sat on a branch overlooking the yard.

She watched them play briefly outside before led indoors, deciding to hop down and examine some toys left behind.

Finding a ball, she swatted it, jumping when it rolled before her innocent nature took over, attacking the sphere.

"Kimi-sensei, look the silly kitty!"

The small cat barely took notice she had garnered attention, somehow clinging to the foam filled ball, rolling and bouncing around wildly.

"What a silly kitty it is."

When the kitten took notice, she froze up, her back arching in fright, unsure if she'd be attack.

"It's okay, we won't hurt you, right children?" the teacher spoke gently, glancing at the children.

She knelt down, holding her hand out, allowing the small animal to sniff the fingers before nuzzling.

Her tone was nice; she liked that tone, meaning she had nice things to say.

Gently picking the small cat up, the teacher carried her in, taking a quick notice of the sex due to the position, smiling at how loudly the tiny thing purred.

"Alright children," she spoke, deciding this might be a great experience for them, thinking the small kitten was a blessing. "What do kitties like?"

"Toys!" a small boy cheered happily.

"Hai, we saw that, anything else?"

"Milk!"

"Very good."

"Fish!"

"A bed!"

"Lots of love!"

"That's excellent children."

"Can we give her some milk? She looks hungry," a little girl asked, almost pleading to her teacher.

"Of course," the woman smiled as she continued to hold the kitten in one arm, grabbing a carton of milk.

She grabbed a container she used to hold her lunch, emptying it into the paper bag it came in, using it to fill it with milk.

Setting it and the kitten down, the children watched in awe as the kitten purred even louder, sloppily diving into her meal.

It was like this for the next week, the kitten coming back, running off when parents came to pick their children up.

She knew while the children weren't afraid and the teacher supposedly not afraid, the parents may panic and try to hurt her.

Yet for every time she ran away, she returned, meowing at the door, having the teacher or one of the children let her in.

She got milk and would let them pet her, giving her silly names and play with her with strings or other toys they had.

"What color is this apple?" the woman, Kimi-sensei, asked with a smile before picking a hand. "Jimmy-kun?"

"Red!"

"Excellent, and what about this?"

Next thing she held up was a pretty pen with feathers; the kitten often caught playing with it, a few feathers already missing.

"Yellow!"

Slowly the kitten began to not only identify the colors she saw, but recognizing the words when seeing them written on the board or shown on cards.

Within a couple of weeks, the kitten decided she wanted to participate when the teacher decided to make things harder.

"Does anyone know what this animal is?"

The kitten knew it, being something they saw a few days before, but the children easily forgot, rarely paying much attention. It was only after a while of having it in a sense drilled into them they would learn to recognize. Then again, they were quite young, so it wasn't entirely surprising, even on the kitten's viewpoint.

"Meow!"

The small animal ran up, pawing at the woman's leg, seeing her look down with a kind smile.

Believing she was simply bored, she decided to play along, seeing the kids were interested by their little friend's antics.

"Do _you_ know the answer, little one?"

She placed the cards down, having some fun as the children watched, everyone watching as the kitten glanced around.

Before anyone knew it, she was pawing at the card.

"That…that's right," she gasped softly, unsure if it was coincidence or not.

Giggling, one of the girls teased one of her classmates, "Kitty-chan is smarter than you, Tanako-kun!"

"Hey!"

"Now, now," Kimi-sensei scolded lightly.

"What do I wear on my feet, Kitty-chan?" another child asked, obviously believing the cat was smart.

Perking up, the kitten ran over to where all the discarded shoes were kept, taking a moment to find the child's shoes.

Soon enough she was trotting over with one shoe before grabbing the other, plopping it alongside the first one.

"She's so smart!"

The teacher couldn't help but agree, unsure if this was really a strange coincidence, or the cat was really learning.

Deciding to try something, she pulled out a lipstick, opening it up and setting several cards down with various words. Some were words of animals; others were colors, the rest a miscellany of other words.

"Kitty-chan," she called, the kitten's ears perking at the name.

Trotting over, she sat down, staring at the teacher with her large red eyes.

"Do you know what color this is?"

She pointed to the lipstick, namely the part she uses, waiting for the kitten to answer, to find out if this cat was really learning or simply copying.

After a minute, believing it was coincidence, she nearly dropped the makeup when the kitten pawed at the card reading red.

"Th-that's right…"

How could a cat learn, let alone identify colors like this?

She was no expert with biology, particularly with animals, but she knew cats were incapable of seeing color, at least to this extent.

If this had been a small monkey, it might not be so hard to believe, or even another animal known for learning.

But a cat? Impossible…

"Kimi-sensei, does that mean Kitty-chan is a student like us?"

"It seems so," she smiled, still unsure about what they had.

Could the cat be some genetic experiment that escaped or dumped believing to be a failure?

Should she call someone to have the kitten looked at?

In the end, she mentally shook her head, deciding not to.

Why ruin not only this kitten's happiness, but the children as well?

But if the kitten was truly intelligent as she seems to be, she would have to make certain to bring her home.

She would just need to put some money aside to get pet supplies and pay extra to her landlord for a pet.

Deciding that, she resumed her class not worried of the children telling adults, knowing that even if they did, they're too young and wouldn't be taken seriously.

After a few days, she was nearly set up before hearing doors opening, paling, having completely forgotten someone was going to sit in on her class.

And of all times, it was when the kitten was already indoors, meowing and purring happily with the children.

"Kimi-sensei, what is _that_ doing in here?" the adult asked, giving a look at the pale kitten, narrowing his eyes. "That thing could have diseases or one of the children could be allergic to it."

"Gomen'nasai, Toru-sensei, I know I shouldn't have let the kitten in. But she was so hungry and the children were upset seeing her outside, looking so lonely," she half lied, hoping to gain some sympathy. "I thought that maybe having the kitten visiting, she might've proven to be of a positive influence. Teaching the children responsibility, you wouldn't believe how better behaved they've become…"

"Get rid of it," he ordered, "that thing is a freak of nature. No cat should have eyes like that. It _must_ be diseased."

"But the children…"

Annoyed by her, he walked over, grabbing the cat, ignoring the cries from both it and the children as he brought it outside and threw it into the street.

Terrified of what happened, the kitten ran as fast as she could, trying to ignore the soreness from her body.

Nothing was broken, but the rough landing hurt and by the time she stopped, her muscles ached everywhere.

Flopping on the ground, the kitten let out pitiful wails, wondering if she had been cursed to be alone.

At some point she fell asleep, not knowing how long she had slept or the brief luck she got of no one checking on or harassing her.

Once she woke up, she felt more rested, albeit still miserable of her happiness ripped away. Whether they wanted her back or not, that man was terrifying and feared he would stay or have someone stay to ensure she never returned.

Wandering for several more days, managing to find food here and there between being chased by people with brooms or by dogs, she came upon an alley.

Believing she could use it as a hiding place, seeing that while the sidewalks and such were busy, it seemed devoid of life.

Walking down the dark pathway, she instinctively arched her back, not expecting to find others here as well.

Slumped against the wall was a badly beaten teenager, a small cat sitting between his legs, letting out a meow now and again.

The cat seemed curious before taking notice of the new scent, glancing over to see the red eyed kitten.

Hissing, the cat attempted to chase her off, the small kitten hunkering down, submitting, hoping to get some pity if not from the cat, maybe the human.

Before she knew it, the cat lunged at her, attempting to chase if not kill her, letting her shriek in pain whenever she was kicked or bitten.

Hearing her desperate cries and wails, it seemed to bring the nearly comatose teen back to reality, blinking the haze from his mind.

Glancing over, seeing the two cats fight, realizing how one-sided it was, he found himself on his feet, shoving the white cat away from the smaller one.

"Scat!" he hissed, the cat obeying with one final hiss before disappearing around a corner, away from them.

Glancing down at the kitten, he reached out slowly, knowing the small thing must be scared, possibly hurting.

He gave a silent gasp when she opened her eyes, staring at him with large red eyes, eyes that matched his own.

Before the small cat knew it, he picked her up, cradling her gently, leaning against the wall, rubbing the side of her head.

"You must've been very lonely with eyes like those?" he whispered as he continued stroking the kitten's fur. "I know what it's like growing up with those kinds of eyes. People think differently, they either fear or hate you, children being _especially_ cruel compared to adults."

Hearing how sad he sounded, the kitten ignored her aching body, leaning up to lick his chin, surprising him at her affection.

"You're a strange little cat," he mused as he continued rocking her, enjoying the company, allowing his walls to break down, even just a little.

Animals always seem to bring this out of him, especially cats; it was like he held some kinship with them.

At some point, he felt himself doze again, the kitten not bothered by how he hadn't let her go. If anything, he held onto her tighter, feeling safer as did she.

Nuzzling in, she fell fast asleep as well, the two sleeping the day and just about the entire night away together.

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 _ **Please read and review**_


	2. Chapter 2

When the rays of the sun began to shine on them, the teen groggily woke up, feeling mostly numb.

Feeling something shifting in his arms, he glanced down, recalling the kitten and how he saved it.

Despite his own numbness, something inside him told him to get up and get something to eat not just for himself, but for the tiny creature.

Based on her appearance, she was likely out on her own for a while, her body rather small, unsure if it was due to being a stray or had been the runt of the litter.

Regardless, he began to walk; carrying the sleeping animal in his arms, ignoring any stares sent his way.

Coming across a café, he walked in, ignoring more stares, wordlessly pointing to what he wanted.

He barely registered the barista telling him the cat had to wait outside, but he ignored her, hearing himself telling her he wanted his order to go.

With a small huff, she let it slide, possibly giving some pity by how battered he looked and the kitten still sleeping peacefully in his arms.

Once he got what he ordered, he quickly paid before leaving, not bothering to collect his change.

Finding a secluded place, he sat down, carefully setting the small animal down, that alone being enough to wake her.

Blinking wearily, still groggy, she stretched and let out a yawn, staring at her surroundings, clearly trying to recall what happened.

Seeing the teen, she immediately lit up, tail swaying happily, more so when a carton of cream and torn pieces of bread were set near her.

Right away she began eating, purring loudly, the action unknowingly bringing a small smile to the teen's face.

Gently stroking the tiny kitten's fur some more, he stopped when she had finished eating, throwing the carton away.

Seeing she still looked tired, he picked her up, cradling her in his arms, unsure where to go next.

He couldn't bring himself to return home, nor could he simply run away and leave the country. Even if he wanted to do the latter, he only had so much money before he had to return home to get more.

He foolishly forgot his credit card and passport was there too.

The only thing to cross his mind was a certain redhead, recalling how he had been wounded, humiliated in that godforsaken fight.

Before he knew it, his legs began moving, taking him to his destination, the kitten staring at him and her surroundings.

At some point, he found himself on a rooftop, staring at the sky, memories good and bad alike surfacing.

The kitten had since been set down, wandering about, occasionally glancing at him, concern showing by how he stared ahead.

She almost feared he would simply walk off the ledge, losing the only human not to throw her away or let someone throw her away.

She didn't think she could handle another heartbreak, breathing a sigh of relief when he began walking towards the stairs they came from.

Running after him, she kept up with his long strides perfectly, pausing every so often whenever he would pause.

She didn't pay much attention, though did notice when he had found a cloak of some sort in one of the alleys they passed by.

She watched him throw it over his shoulders, covering most of his battered body from view.

During one of the stops, she wiggled her rear, launching herself onto his shoulder, the other not flinching from the extra weight.

She stayed like that for some time, curling up happily, grateful for her small size.

However, she let out a disapproved mewl when he suddenly took her off his shoulder and set onto the ground.

Glancing around, she noticed they were at some building, the teen about to head inside, her ready to follow.

"Stay here," he half ordered, without looking at her.

Despite wanting too, she obeyed, not wanting to risk angering him or whoever may be inside this strange place.

What felt like forever, she kept perking up before drooping her ears and tail whenever someone that wasn't that boy walked in or out.

Almost giving up, believing he wasn't coming back, she let out a startled cry when strong hands picked her up.

Glancing up, she saw familiar red eyes, though instead of dull and nearly lifeless, held a burning fire in them.

Excited, she reached a paw out, attempting to grab him, to try and mimic the actions she's seen other humans do to show affection.

"You actually listened," he mused, smirking a little as he carried her, newfound determination bubbling inside him.

Purring, she nuzzled the side of his injured face, the other ignoring the small stinging sensation of having his cuts rubbed like that.

Before she knew it, he had stopped again, this time at some building, the whole thing looking empty, no signs of humans living. Maybe rats and a few stray cats, but not humans, she was pretty sure of that.

"I don't know how much you understand me," the teen started, "but I have something to do up there. I don't want you to get hurt. I don't know how long I'll be up there, so it would be better if you leave."

Why was he talking to the cat, not like she could understand…

"Nya!" the kitten squawked angrily, gently swatting him by those words.

No way was she leaving him alone!

From how he worded that sentence, she was sure he wasn't planning on staying there forever.

If that's the case, she'll just wait for him until he's done!

Somehow understanding her pouting, he gave a small smile, "Alright, you can stick around. But don't follow me to the top at least. It could get dangerous."

The kitten stared at him, obviously worried, wanting to know what reason he could have to put himself in danger.

"It's something I have to do…"

It was then she noticed something glinting in his hand, not sure what it was, but felt she's seen its shape before.

Feeling herself plucked off his shoulder and set onto the ground, she twitched in slight annoyance as he walked inside, though the door didn't shut all the way.

Not wanting to wait outside for him, she followed the teen, listening to his footsteps, finding he was already way ahead of her.

The steps were steeper than she thought, having some difficulty climbing them, eventually getting the hang of it.

When she neared the top, she heard what sounded like some explosions, the teen barking orders or letting out a startled shout.

At some point a cat came charging down, obviously panicked, nearly knocking the other down.

With an exchange of words between them, mostly hisses and growls from the older cat, glancing up the stairwell where the teen was.

Before long it had left quickly, not wanting to stick around in case he came down or worse, that thing he was firing came down.

The other though, she was determined to reunite with the human, getting as close to the rooftop as possible.

She could hear cursing and lots of crashing, worrying her, but remembered his words about the danger.

When it stopped, that was when she decided to check in on him, concern showing in her small face.

"Dammit!" the teen cursed, the cat having arrived to see him fall to his knees, punching the ground in frustration.

The other cat was right, there were holes all over the place, but she felt no danger from the boy.

Finding the blue thing lying a bit away, she hesitantly picked it up in her mouth, carrying it over to him.

With a muffled meow, it got the teen's attention, seeing the surprised look in his face that a cat brought him his Beyblade.

"Arigatō," he smiled, petting her fur gently, his determination returning to master his Beyblade once more.

However, after looking at the destruction he made, he knew he couldn't continue here with all the holes and glass. And with how much more powerful Dranzer had become, he couldn't risk training on other floors or he might cause a collapse.

Getting up, he took the kitten after pocketing the blade, heading down the stairs, wracking his brain of where he could go to train.

It would have to be someplace with lots of room, one people rarely ventured to or walked by to avoid getting them hurt.

He glanced at the kitten, seeing her cuddled up in his arms once more, making him smile a little.

He wondered if she had a home previously, seeing how affectionate she is, and when he thought about, she wasn't _entirely_ thin. Neither heavily muscled nor pudgy, but not deathly thin like some cats he's seen.

Either way, she was on her own now, either abandoned or used to have someone feed her prior to their meeting.

There was something special about her, something that urged him to hold her tighter, refusing to leave her behind.

Before he could think further, he glanced around, realizing he had wandered into the fishing yard.

Realizing the opportunity, he gently set the kitten down, seeing her glance up at him in curiosity.

"I'm going in there to train. Stay out here so you don't get hurt and stay away from the windows in case the glass breaks."

Most would think he was crazy talking to the cat, but something told him she was listening, understanding his words.

Whether she actually did or merely sensed his worry, it didn't matter. So long as she listened and was safe from harm, he would be content with that.

Seeing she was going nowhere nor was she going to follow, he went inside to begin his training.

The small kitten listened to crates breaking, glass shattering, the teen giving frustrated shouts or surprised yelps.

Curiosity and worry filling her, she carefully went up to a window that had no glass, letting her spy on the human.

Ears drooped when seeing how he struggled, the strange device not cooperating as he wanted it too.

Before long another device shot into the line of fire, knocking the blue thing down, stopping it in its tracks.

Following the new thing, it returned to the hand of a strange man, the two seemingly knowing one another.

She listened to them exchange words, the teen's expression souring, clearly frustrated not just with himself, but the fact that someone was butting in.

The other man had walked inside, suggesting they have a Beybattle, the kitten nearly falling from her spot when she recalled the spinning devices.

She was no expert, but she's seen some kids play with those things, those _Beyblades_ in parks she'd pass through or hide in.

No sooner he suggested it, almost taunting the teen about being afraid to fight him as his blade spun on a crate, the other let out a snarl as he released his.

The kitten couldn't help but root for her human friend, both staring in shock when seeing no sign of the blonde's.

When it came down, knocking the blue blade into more crates, the kitten watched the teen contemplate the others words, possibly whatever might've left him like this.

The small animal wished she could talk, cheer for him, knowing he's strong, that whatever is trying to hold him back, can't.

An explosion was heard, the blue blade firing out, knocking the red and green one into the other person's hand.

As for the blue one, it fired with intense speed into the teen's hand, smoking pouring from the glove he thankfully wore.

Hearing the blonde saying something about the teen figuring it out or something, the kitten's human friend held a slight smirk as he readied his blade.

With a declaration for battle, wanting neither to hold back, they fired their blades once more, allowing an all-out battle to commence.

As the battle went on, the teen going on the offensive, the other having his blade take flight to gain distance between them, the kitten watched with wonder.

This was her first Beybattle from start and hopefully to finish with the teen coming out as victor.

She watched, amazed as the blades occasionally clashed with one another, both parties smirking, the blonde appearing proud of the other.

The kitten somehow _knew_ that this blonde was really trying to help the teen master this powerful Beyblade.

However, the kitten's amazement turned to near horror when vines came out of the ground after the blonde's order to his blade.

Not only did it surround the blue blade, but the teenager as well, seeing him unable to move, looking scared as much as he was angry.

Listening to the blonde scolding the teen, calling him Kai, she watched as he tried to ignore the other. She could tell that he was heavily focused on his vendetta against some guy named Brooklyn.

With carefully chosen words, the blonde, Romero as she recalled, managed to somehow calm him down enough to think despite how wild he still looked.

With his own declaration, his reason for wanting to beat this Brooklyn, he broke free from the vines as did his Beyblade.

To match his rekindled spirit and tempered mind, the blade lit up, unleashing the spirit within, the fiery phoenix defeating the other blade.

The kitten couldn't have felt happier seeing her human friend not only win, but how amazing he looked doing it.

She watched him leave while the other rambled on about this and that, including the teen having to supposedly swallow his pride to apologize.

She hopped down, catching up to the teen, meowing happily, her tail wagging.

"You saw that battle?" he asked, somehow knowing the answer. "I hope you were someplace safe when it got ugly."

"Nya!" she purred, hopping into his arms, nestling against his chest, purring louder than before.

At some point, just as the sun began setting, he had gone to the riverside, meeting up with a bunch others.

As before, he set the kitten down, mostly so he could announce himself the best way possible, with his Beyblade.

One of the other teens, namely the one who's own blade got attacked looked up, appearing happy to see him.

"You're late," he grinned, the other smirking as he walked up to the others, hearing greetings from friends of his return.

Following him, she stared at the group, staying close before yelping when a pair of strong hands picked her up.

"Nya!" she cried out, seeing a teen with darker skin and black hair held her.

While he didn't hurt her, the action was unexpected, making her struggle and cry.

"Put her down, Lee," Kai stated, seeing the other listening, mostly due to the kitten getting more frantic.

"Made yourself a friend?" a teen with gold eyes asked, a kind smile on his face.

"You could say so, she's been following me everywhere since I saved her," he responded, though the following part was only _partly_ true.

She only stuck with him for so long was because he carried her around or she hopped onto his shoulders.

"That's so cool," a brunette cooed, kneeling down to pet the small cat, her hand outstretched. "Does she have a name?"

"I haven't thought about it, my mind was on other things."

"Are you going to keep her?" a blonde boy asked as the kitten began to warm up to the girl and soon others. "Oh cool, she's got the same eyes as you."

"Maybe she should be Kai Jr. then?" the apparent _leader_ laughed, getting looks by some of the others.

"She's nothing like me, it'd be an insult," Kai half joked as he picked the kitten up, the others watching how she settled right in.

"Her fur's really pretty, almost like snow," the brunette cooed as she carefully reached out, scratching her ear.

"It is," he smiled softly, stroking the fur, the kitten purring away happily. "Maybe I could call her Koyuki?"

"Little Snow?" one of the others questioned, a brow raised.

"It sounded nice," he responded, the kitten lighting up at the sound, able to feel all the love in that word.

Somehow cranking her purring to another level, she reached up, managing to wrap her tiny arms around his neck, nuzzling and licking him.

"I think she likes it," the golden eyed teen laughed, others agreeing by how affectionate she was, seeing how calm their friend looked.

She barely focused on what they were saying, letting Kai talk with his friends before they finally went their separate ways.

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 _ **Please read and review**_


	3. Chapter 3

She was roused awake when hearing him suddenly call out into a large building.

"I'm home!"

"Kai?" a worried voice echoed, a young woman with long wavy hair, pink streaks dyed in, running into view. "It is you, I was so worried!"

She immediately grabbed him, hugging him close, pulling away when hearing the startled yowl.

"A kitten?"

"I decided to keep her. Her name's Koyuki."

"That's so sweet of you," she smiled, planting a kiss on his forehead, the other ignoring how childish it would look.

His friends weren't here, plus he adores this woman regardless of how new she is working here. He felt a connection with her, amused by her antics between trying to make sure he ate and constantly reading books more than doing house work.

"Kino-san, do we have any soap or something that'd be safe to use on animals?" he asked after a brief pause between the two, letting her hug him longer.

She missed him, he knew it, and he felt guilty making her worry over him so much, fussing over him as if he were her own.

"With your habit bringing small animals here, I made it a habit to keep a small stock for such occasions," she teased warmly.

It was then the teen blushed, realizing how predictable he was to her, knowing that if his friends were here, they'd be teasing him big time.

Given the supplies, he went to one of the bathrooms, taking his gloves, scarf, top and jacket off, tossing them aside.

Running the water, he checked it as it filled to make sure it wasn't too hot or cold before petting the kitten.

"You may not like it, but if you've got fleas, this bath will get rid of them and you'll be much happier."

Unsure _exactly_ what he meant, he picked her up, putting her into the tub, the small animal panicking at first before seeing he never let go.

Not only that, but the water felt nice and was deep enough to submerge most of her, but nowhere near her head.

"You're really special, aren't you? I've never met a cat who would tolerate a bath like this. I usually end up getting beaten up trying to clean them," he mused, gently scrubbing her wet fur.

Licking his hand, she made a face as it was the hand that had the soap, making her start scooting backwards to escape the awful taste.

The teen was unable to suppress a laugh at her antics.

"Doesn't taste so good, huh?" he teased, the kitten eventually getting the taste out, playfully swatting him.

Hearing a knock on the door, he gave the okay, the woman from before walking in with a few towels.

"Arigatō," he thanked, the woman giving a gentle smile as she petted his hair.

"I'll get dinner started," she spoke, giving him another peck on the head, the teen glancing back at her.

She was always so affectionate, something he hadn't been used to, at least not like this, not so kind and tender. He was glad to have hired her, willing to forget all her flaws just to keep having her showering him with affection, letting him feel human.

Turning back to the kitten, he gave a small smile as he finished rinsing her off, pulling her out of the tub and drying her while the tub drained.

Feeling she was dry enough, any wet spots she could handle on her own, he decided a long soak for himself would be nice.

Knowing the maid, she'll likely be awhile; distracted by some book while cooking the dinner if one of the other servants didn't take over to get it going.

Stripped completely and in the tub, he did the initial bathing to simply get it out of the way, then relaxed.

"Nya?"

Cracking an eye open, he reached a hand out, petting her, feeling her little tongue lapping at the droplets on his fingertips.

"You really like that name, Koyuki, don't you?"

Hearing the purring, he took it as a yes, feeling content as he let his eyes close and fall into a blissful nap.

When he woke up, the new maid had knocked, letting him know that dinner would be ready in a couple of minutes.

Drying off and changing into some robes left for him, he walked down, letting the kitten follow him, distracted by how large the place was.

"Nya…"

"Kai-kun, Koyuki-chan, dinner's ready," the woman smiled as she and a few others who worked for him sat at the table.

The kitten, without any permission hopped onto the table, nearly drooling at the sight of the delicious food and smells coming from them.

Kai almost contemplated putting her back on the floor, but decided against it, gently petting her to keep her still.

When a bowl was put in front of her, while it was different from the food the humans ate, she wasn't about to complain or be picky.

Food was food and she was grateful she was getting any at all!

Chowing down, Kai ate his as did the others, occasionally picking some pieces out, passing them to the kitten.

"Kai-sama, you shouldn't feed it table scraps," one of the older servants scolded.

Rolling his eyes, he ignored the man, petting the kitten, smiling softly as she ate happily, purring so loudly that her body shivered with pleasure.

"Koyuki is fine, she's a smart girl."

"You say that for just about every stray you feed and bathe."

"They're smart too, but she's on a whole other level. She listens to me when I talk to her, not simply out of curiosity, but actually understands me."

"Hiwatari-sama…" another servant whispered, feeling the poor boy might be losing himself. "But you _have_ people who understand you too."

"Hai…but that's not what I meant by understanding me."

"What do you mean?"

"I told her to stay and she listened."

"Maybe she has a home then?"

"If she did, not anymore, I know strays when I see them, and she was one."

"If someone had her previously and got rid of her, then they're missing out on a real treasure. I haven't seen you look so peaceful before," the maid, Kino, smiled, warmly trying to brighten the conversation.

"Arigatō."

After they were done eating and he freshened up, he let her sleep in his room, watching as she explored, bouncing on his bed.

Climbing under the covers, he curled up, letting his walls fall completely as he stared at the wall.

"I have to beat Brooklyn if I want to beat Tyson," he mumbled sleepily, eyes growing heavy.

The kitten listened, walking up to him, licking his cheek gently, feeling his hand wrap around her, pulling her into a gentle hug.

"Arigatō, Koyuki…" he yawned softly, sleep taking hold finally.

When morning rose, she watched him change back into the tattered clothes he wore previously, repaint the triangles on his face and load up his Beyblade.

She followed, wanting to see where he was going, not wanting to lose her only human friend.

As he was about to head out the door, he turned, seeing she was determined to follow, more so by how she leapt onto his shoulder.

"It could get dangerous, it would be safer if you stayed here," he crooned softly, knowing he might be breaking her tiny heart.

"Nya!"

"I'm serious, I can't have you follow me, so please stay here," he begged, picking the animal off his shoulder and held her close. "Even if the battle isn't dangerous, there's a very dangerous man there. If you crossed paths with him, whether he knew I took you in or not, he could seriously hurt you."

Hearing how sad he sound, she eventually submitted, letting out a few pitiful meows as he left, the door shutting between them.

"Kai-kun left already? And without even taking a piece of toast or coffee?" Kino sighed, obviously used to the boy doing this.

Seeing the saddened kitten, she gently picked the furry creature up, cradling her in her arms, a motherly smile on her face.

"I know you must be sad seeing him leave, but I'm sure he did it with good reason. He's going to battle a group led by a dangerous man. I can only hope he'll be okay, that nothing bad will happen to him."

Deciding to explore her new home, she was amazed by the amount of rooms, wondering how a single human could own all this.

Finding Kai's room, she went in, curling up on his bed, taking in his scent, this feeling of dread filling her.

Whoever this Brooklyn was, it made her worry, knowing he had to be the cause for all those cuts, for making him look so empty and lost.

Somehow falling asleep, she was jolted awake when hearing someone crying out, having her run under the bed.

Hearing soft sobbing, recognizing it as the woman, Kino, she grew worried, following the voice down to where she was.

Finding her, she found her crumbled by a desk, blue eyes wide with horror, phone lying on the floor.

"Nya?"

She was cautious, this awful feeling starting to fill her again by how she looked, hoping she doesn't lash out against her.

"Koyuki-chan?" she whimpered, glancing at the furry creature. "Kai-kun's in the hospital, he was found unconscious after his match."

Feeling her blood freeze up, she ran for the door, scratching at it, wanting to find her human, letting out desperate pleas.

Somehow understanding her, seeing how she reacted, she picked the kitten up, placing her into a basket.

"You want to see him, don't you? You're scared for Kai-kun? Then let's go see him together," she sniffled with a bitter smile.

The kitten watched her before the basket was covered, shrouding her mostly in darkness, listening and feeling her walk swiftly outside.

Hearing doors opening and closing, the basket set onto a seat, not knowing she had been strapped in for extra protection, before the rumble of an engine was heard.

She panicked, letting out small mewls, obviously terrified, barely calming down when Kino began talking to her.

"This will be faster than walking. I know it must be scary, but just bear with me, soon we'll be with Kai-kun."

A few more whimpers and the kitten settled, curling up, trying to think of the very human she wanted right now.

Before long, the car stopped, Kino stepping out with the basket in hand, hurrying inside the hospital.

Talking with some nurses, she found the teenager's room, nearly dropping the basket when seeing him lying in bed, covered in bandages.

"Kai-kun…" Kino whimpered softly, tears forming in her eyes as she placed the basket onto the foot of the bed.

Pushing her way out, the kitten glanced over, feeling her heart drop at how battered her human looked.

"Nya!"

Hopping out, she ran up to his face, careful not to hurt him worse than he is, letting out pitiful mewls as she gently pawed him.

As the kitten attempted to awaken him, Kino glanced over, seeing the remains of Kai's Beyblade.

Walking over, she was amazed someone collected all the pieces and left them here, though wasn't sure if the gesture was good or not.

At some point, he woke up, glancing up at the ceiling, his vision soon obstructed by a familiar furry face.

"Koyuki?" he groaned, attempting to sit up, ignoring all the aches and pains from sore muscles to hundreds of stinging cuts. "How'd I get here?"

"You were brought in, someone found you in a hall after your battle," Kino spoke as she sat next to him. "What you did was completely foolish. You nearly died!"

"I know, but what choice did I have? I had to beat Brooklyn."

"I…I know, but I don't want to lose you either, neither of us do."

"Gomen'nasai… But Tyson and the others needed me regardless. If I hadn't shown up, they would've been one blader short. Tyson would've had to face Brooklyn _and_ Garland alone. I know he's strong, but facing both and with Boris pulling the strings, it'd be damn near impossible to win."

"I know…that man, Boris, he still gives you nightmares, doesn't he?"

The teen was silent, knowing it was true, most of the nightmares had dissipated, but there were some that would forever haunt him.

Shaking his head slightly to try and not fall into those memories, he gave her a comforting look.

"Even if they do, it isn't like he can hurt me again. Tyson will not only stop him, but he'll be put into prison. There's no _way_ that bastard would keep out of trouble, I know it…"

"Kai…" the woman whispered, dropping the honorific as she pulled the teen gently into her arms. "Tyson-kun will stop him; you really care for him and trust him, so he _can't_ lose. He won't let you, Tala-kun, or anyone down. I'm sure of it."

"Arigatō," he responded sleepily, wishing to stay awake longer. He felt safe in the woman's arms; it was like being his parents' arms before his grandfather took them away. "Kino-san?"

"I'll stay, don't worry," she smiled, not having to wait for him to ask.

Despite how cold and aloof he may act around most, she got to see him in his most vulnerable state many times before.

He screamed and cried in frustration, nearly killing himself over Wyatt's own death, barely pulling out of it.

While she may have stopped him from ending his life, she still couldn't help him through the guilt, finally breaking through after the Psykick incident.

After that, the two grew close, the teen usually relying on her for when he's feeling emotionally unstable, not wanting to breakdown in front of others.

She knew it was bad for him to hold it like this, but who could blame him? She's read up on him, heard the rumors from other servants. The poor boy went through far too much and now having to face those demons again, it's too much for such a young soul.

All she could do was be there, act as a maternal figure he could lean to for support, the kind he never received before.

After a bit, she found a hand shaking her awake, a stern nurse glaring at her, casting a glance at the sleeping kitten.

"Gomen'nasai, but he's been through a lot. I thought his kitten would help him calm down," she apologized, keeping her voice as soft as possible.

She attempted to get up, but hadn't realized the sly boy had snaked his arms around hers, trapping her.

His bandaged face was pressed tightly against her arm, the sweetest look on his face to make any stop dead in their tracks. Didn't help he was handsome to begin with, so adding in he could muster such an adorable look made him all the more attractive.

If they got to see it that is…

"I'm afraid you'll have to leave, miss."

"Would if I could, but I don't want to wake him."

Seeing it wouldn't be wise to wake an injured patient, more so when seeing how peaceful he looked, the nurse decided to let it slide.

Leaving, willing to pretend not seeing them, particularly the cat, the woman let out a silent sigh of relief before resting her head back down.

Gingerly, she stroked his hair, a small smile forming at how sweet he looked, a look she wished he'd carry more often.

If only he would let his guard down more, let people in…

News of what was happening at the BEGA stadium reached their ears, the woman giving a worried look when the teen attempted to get out of bed.

"You can't leave, Kai-kun!" she scolded, trying to keep him from moving.

"Tyson needs me though."

"I know, but you're in no shape to move."

"Kino-san please…"

Seeing how desperate he was to reach his friend, to aid him anyway possible, she gave a silent sigh of defeat.

"Alright, but your clothes are far to tattered to be worn. Give me a moment to get you something, okay?"

Seeing he had nothing else to wear really than a flimsy medical gown, he really had no choice, so sat waiting, his kitten staring up at him.

"I feel so helpless. Whatever Brooklyn's doing, it can't be good…and there's Boris to think about too. He can do a lot of damage without Beyblades. I don't want to think what'd happen if he ever got control over Beyblading."

"Nya…"

Feeling the furry head rub against his arm, he gave her a forced smile, appreciating her gesture.

Within minutes Kino returned, fresh clothes picked out, the teen given assistance getting them on, his body still sore in some areas.

"Please watch over Koyuki, I don't want to risk her following me," the teen begged, glancing at the woman as she gave a tearful nod.

"Just promise to be careful," she spoke, giving him a hug before placing something in his hand.

"Dr-Dranzer?" he gasped, wondering how it had been repaired.

"You said Tyson-kun needed you, right?" she spoke softly, making him wonder what secrets she holds before shaking it off.

It wasn't important right now, getting to his friends was…

As he ran towards the stadium, he could already see the destruction being laid waste, knowing it was only going to get worse the closer he gets.

What he didn't know was that by the time he got to the stadium, aiming to help out anyway possible, the girls had followed him.

"Oh Kami…" Kino gasped, staring at the vortex.

She could only stare, the small cat doing the same, unable to tear their eyes away before a flash exploded.

Soon after, the vortex disappeared, things that were distorted or missing returning, namely the audience.

From there, she and others hurried over, watching as two young men continued their match, no malice from either, simply pure love for a game they cherished.

The rest was a bit of a blur for the kitten, having seen her owner, excited to see him when he came down from wherever he was.

She ran over to him, leaping into his arms, meowing happily, nuzzling into his chest as the two bladers finally concluded their match in a draw.

"That was awesome!" Tyson laughed, holding his hand out towards the other, "We _so_ have to have a rematch some time."

"That would be nice, of course, I would have to do some training first," the other chuckled, taking the hand, the two shaking firmly.

"Looking forward to it!"

From there, plans were made, Kai using his substantial inheritance to help fund for the restoration of the BBA.

Until then, they had to settle on a shack set up to let kids play and have fun with their Beyblades.

In the course, Kai surprisingly began opening more, mostly with the kitten at his side and Tala's recovery.

While the teen was still rather rough around the edges, others who knew him best could see him changing. He was opening up more and laughing more at simple things, his face filled with absolute serenity.

If there was a chance she had some mystical powers, using them on him, they were forever grateful.

* * *

 _ **Please read and review**_


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